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Hearing Aid Project: Changing Lives Through Collaborations: The Hearing Journal

With 36 million Americans living with significant hearing loss, it's important to improve access to hearing health care. In August 2016, the Hearing Charities of America (HCOA) officially launched the Hearing Aid Project, a program that aims to provide low-income people across the United States with access to hearing aids at no cost to promote healthier hearing. Central to this program is the collection of hearing aids that have sat in drawers or have been discarded after users purchased new hea

Assisted Living vs. Memory Care: What’s the Difference?

If you’re looking for long-term care for an aging loved one, you’re probably faced with a difficult decision. Senior living varies greatly in terms of levels of care, amenities, staff training, and cost.

About 70% of adults older than 65 will need long-term care at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Many who require senior care will have some type of cognitive decline or memory loss. In fact, over 55 million people worldwide have dementia,

Residential Care Homes for the Elderly

When your senior loved one begins to need regular help with their daily tasks and can no longer live alone safely, it may be time to consider senior living options. We know that this decision is a difficult one for families, but the safety of your loved one may depend on getting the proper care. Residential care homes are a great place to begin your search, especially if their needs require full-time supervision.

Residential care homes are intended for seniors who would benefit from full-time a

How A Senior Care Plan Helps Manage Care

Families moving a loved one into a senior living community for the first time can be filled with worry and uncertainty about trusting new caregivers, says Kathleen Leonard, a Senior Living Advisor at A Place for Mom and former director of an independent living community. “It can be an overwhelming process,” she says.

How can you ensure your loved one is well cared for? A senior care plan is instrumental, followed by involvement with the community and good communication, Leonard says.

A senior

How to Pay for a Nursing Home

Your loved one is at a point in their life when they need help with day-to-day activities and functions, and you want to secure the best possible care to support their health and well-being.

Nursing homes — sometimes called skilled nursing facilities or convalescent homes — are one senior care option to explore. Nursing homes offer the highest level of care to adults who have chronic, debilitating physical or mental health conditions and require round-the-clock supervision. They provide more sp

5 Ways the Elderly Hide Signs of Dementia

Dementia signs may be subtle in the early stages. Your mom may have trouble recalling certain words, or your dad may forget to pay a few bills. It’s possible they don’t even realize they’re showing signs of dementia — or they may not want you to know.

“For so many years, dementia has been a stigma,” says Brenda Gurung, a certified dementia practitioner for the Alzheimer’s Association and a senior national account manager at A Place for Mom. “But specific dementia diagnoses are diseases — they d

5 Ways the Elderly Hide Signs of Dementia

Dementia signs may be subtle in the early stages. Your mom may have trouble recalling certain words, or your dad may forget to pay a few bills. It’s possible they don’t even realize they’re showing signs of dementia — or they may not want you to know.

“For so many years, dementia has been a stigma,” says Brenda Gurung, a certified dementia practitioner for the Alzheimer’s Association and a senior national account manager at A Place for Mom. “But specific dementia diagnoses are diseases — they d

50+ Top Assisted Living Activities

People have the same basic needs at any age: to explore, have fun, learn, and live life to the fullest. Activities for assisted living residents do much more than just pass the time. They help seniors lead healthier, happier lives.

Activities for seniors in assisted living suit all interests and lifestyles

Assisted living communities offer a variety of activities to suit residents’ varying abilities and interests. Here are some of the top ways assisted living communities help seniors stay acti

Hospice Care at Assisted Living

In many states, terminally ill residents can receive hospice care, or end-of-life care, without leaving their senior living community. In response to seniors’ desires, many assisted living communities embrace an “aging in place” philosophy. This means assisted living and hospice caregivers work as a collaborative team to provide residents with increased levels of care, within limits, in their assisted living community.

“Hospice focuses on the person and not the disease. It makes the patient’s w

When to Take the Car Keys From Elderly Drivers

Driving a car may feel like second nature, but aging may affect your reflexes, eyesight, cognition, and overall safety at the wheel. Elderly drivers 80 and older also have the highest rates of automobile deaths, according to AAA.

Determining whether to take the keys away from elderly parents can be an emotional process — but there are ways to make it easier. By having conversations and detecting the warning signs now, you can better protect your mom and dad, as well as others on the road.

Disc

A Guide to Pet-Friendly Assisted Living

More than half of older adults age 50 to 80 have a pet, according to the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging. That’s not surprising considering furry friends provide love, companionship, and a sense of purpose and responsibility. In addition to warm and fuzzy feelings, pets help reduce stress, anxiety, and blood pressure, research suggests.

In a nod to the ever-growing popularity of pets and their benefits to senior health and wellness, many senior living communities nationw

Understanding Sundowners Syndrome

For many elderly people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, sunset can be a time of increased memory loss, confusion, agitation, and even anger. This behavioral shift is called sundown syndrome, otherwise known as sundowners syndrome, or sundowning. Doctors aren’t sure what causes sundown syndrome, but there are certain triggers to avoid and ways to manage symptoms.

Sundown syndrome is a term used to describe a range of unusual behaviors — often including agitation,
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